Town of Snow Hill in Greene County, North Carolina

MINUTES
Snow Hill Board of Commissioners Regular Meeting
Wednesday, June 28, 2006—9:30 a.m.
Snow Hill Town Hall
201 North Greene Street, North Carolina 28580

The Snow Hill Board of Commissioners regular meeting convened at 9:30 am on Wednesday, June 28, 2006 in the Snow Hill Town Hall with the following present: Mayor Don Davis; Commissioners Phyllis Burruss, Percy Edwards, Geraldine Shackleford, Allison Thomas and Lorrine Washington; Town Clerk Mauren Baker, Bob Clark, Town Administrator; Jim Cauley, Town Attorney. Brenda Chamberlain, Frank Warren, Katie Marshall, Martha Lura Glossip, Dana Hill, Carolyn Newcomb.

1. Call to Order—Mayor Davis rapped the gavel and called the meeting to order.

2. Prayer—Prayer was offered by Commissioner Edwards.

3. Pledge of Allegiance—The pledge was recited in unison.

4. Roll Call—All members were present and on time.

5. Consider Approving Meeting Agenda—Motion was made by Commissioner Washington, seconded by Commissioner Edwards, and carried unanimously to approve the agenda as modified with the following: add 7a4-Contracts; 9-Historic Retreat Report; 11-f—Employee Assistance Program; 11-g—Greene County Sheriff’s Service Contract; 11-h—McDavid Associates Inc Retainer Contract; and move the Closed Session to 11-i.

6. Consider Approving Meeting Minutes: Motion was made by
CommissionerShackleford, seconded by Commissioner Burruss, and carried unanimously to approve June 12, 2006 regular meeting minutes with 2 modifications: 1) replace the date for the Historic Retreat with June 26, 2006 and 2) under 11-e add families after “not fair”.

7. Report of Officers:

a. Town Administrator:

1. Status of tanks maintenance program—Mr. Clark stated that the question of participation in this program by the Greene County Commissioners is on their Agenda for today. He will attend their Board Meeting today, to ask them to reconsider their negative position.

2. Discuss Greene County manager’s report in regards to South Greene Water Corporation—Mr. Clark reported that a contract for water service for South Greene Water Corporation (SGWC) was presented and tabled at the Greene County Commissioners last meeting. However it seems that South Greene Water Corporation will go to the county for service at $1.60 per thousand gallons of water and $1.50 administration fee per customer. The Town will continue to bill-out SGWC until September 1, 2006.

3. Discuss advertising vacancies and soliciting residents to serve on Town committees, boards, commissions and task forces—FY 2006-07 Budget
eliminates payment to the Planning Board and the Board of Adjustment and includes in place of the individual payment, an appreciation program for volunteers. Mr. Clark encourages the Board to send the development of this program to the Finance and Administration Committee. Volunteers to fill positions on various committees still remain few. Mr. Clark will work on some ideas to promote volunteer interest in the town.

b. Fire Chief: Discuss recommendations to dissolve the Snow Hill Fire Department; to enter a Fire Services Agreement with the Contentnea Rural Fire Department; and to appoint representatives to the Contentnea Rural Fire Department Board of Directors—As North Carolina has handed down mandates without funding that create a financial hardship on both the Town and the rural fire department, Fire Chief Dana Hill, Mr. Clark and Mayor Davis recommend: 1) that the Snow Hill Volunteer Fire Department be dissolved; 2) that the Town and Contentnea Rural Volunteer Fire Department (CRVFD) enter into the attached proposed agreement to provide fire service to the Town; and 3) that the Town appoint representatives to the CRVFD Board of Directors as provided in the proposed agreement. The Chief answered questions for the Board. He stated that homeowner insurance rates will not increase with this change.

9. Reports of Boards, Commissions, Committees and/or Taskforce—with the consent of the Board the Mayor asked Carolyn Newcomb and Mr. Clark to report on the Historic Commission’s Retreat held on June 26, 2006. Ms. Newcomb stated that John Wood of NC Historic Preservation gave them some pointers about historic districting, and recommended that Snow Hill create 2 districts. Mr. Clark stated that the retreat was a very successful event.

10. Unfinished Business and General Orders: N/A

11. New Business:

a. Resolution to dissolve the Snow Hill Volunteer Fire Department—Motion was made by Commissioner Washington, seconded by Commissioner Edwards, and carried unanimously to adopt the Resolution to Dissolve the Snow Hill Volunteer Fire Department (copy hereby incorporated by reference and made a part of these minutes).

b. Consider entering a Fire Services Agreement with the Contentnea Rural Fire Department for fire services—Motion was made by Commissioner Edwards, seconded by Commissioner Burruss, and carried unanimously to enter a Fire Service Agreement with the Contentnea Rural Volunteer Fire Department to provide the Town of Snow Hill with fire services (copy hereby incorporated by reference and made a part of these minutes).

c. Consider a policy for designation of Snow Hill representatives to the Contentnea Rural Volunteer Fire Department Board of Directors—Motion was made by Commissioner Edwards, seconded by Commissioner Shackleford and carried unanimously to adopt a policy to govern designation of Town representative(s) to the Contentnea Rural Volunteer Fire Department Board of Directors (copy hereby incorporated by reference and made a part of these minutes).

d. Consider approving Budget Amendment #6—Motion was made by Commissioner Washington, seconded by Commissioner Edwards and carried unanimously to approve Budget Amendment #6 (copy hereby incorporated by reference and made a part of these minutes). Motion was made by Commissioner Washington, seconded by Commissioner Burruss to authorize the Finance Officer to sell 266 shares of YUMS! Brand Stock. The stock was left to the Town Cemetery Department in the will of George and Grace Ellis of Georgia.

e. Consider FY 2006-07 Budget Ordinance—Motion was made by Commissioner Edwards, seconded by Commissioner Shackleford and carried unanimously to adopt the FY2006-07 Budget Ordinance as presented (copy hereby incorporated by reference and made a part of these minutes).

f. Consider Employee Assistance Program Contract with Cornerstone—Motion was made by Commissioner Washington, seconded by Commissioner Burruss and carried unanimously to approve an Employee Assistance Program Contract with Cornerstone and to strike through the line at the last of the contract containing $500.00 (copy hereby incorporated by reference and made a part of these minutes).

g. Consider approving the Greene County Sheriff’s FY 2006-07 Contract–
Motion was made by Commissioner Burruss, seconded by Commissioner Shackleford, and carried unanimously to adopt the Greene County Sheriff’s FY 2006-07 Contract (copy hereby incorporated by reference and made a part of these minutes).

h. Consider approving a Retainer Contract with McDavid Associates Inc. for engineering services—Motion was made by Commissioner Shackleford, seconded by Commissioner Burruss, and carried unanimously to approve a Retainer Contract for Engineering Services with McDavid Associates for engineering services for FY 2006-07 (copy hereby incorporated by reference and made a part of these minutes).

i. Consider entering a closed session to discuss a personnel matter pursuant to NCGS 143-318.11(6)—Motion was made by Commissioner Edwards. Seconded by Commissioner Shackleford and carried unanimously to enter Closed Session to discuss a personnel matter pursuant to NC GS 143-318.11(6). Motion was made by Commissioner Washington, seconded by Commissioner Edwards and carried unanimously to reconvene open session.

Mayor Davis announced that Mary Williams had tendered her resignation to be effective on July 6, 2006. He called her to the Board Table and thanked her for a job well done and for her loyalty to the Town of Snow Hill especially during the six months that the Town was short handed. The Board also extended their individual comments of appreciation.

12. Program: N/A

13. Announcements and Public Comments—Ms. Carolyn Newcomb brought the issue of speeding and large trucks in town on Greene Street, Third Street and Second Street to the Board’s attention. By consent of the Board, Mr. Clark is to contact Sheriff Smith about the speeding and trucks. Frank Warren also noted that the “Boat Landing” needed to be cleaned, and asked that the Town use inmate labor to accomplish the task.

14. Adjournment—Motion was made by Commissioner Edwards, seconded by Commissioner Shackleford to adjourn this session of the Town Council.